Last year at Bill Hybel's leadership summit he talked about the 5 intangibles of leadership. He borrows from Simon Sinek's Ted Talk where he talks about being driven by your "why." He suggests that every leader should know and be driven by their "white hot why."
As you can tell by reading between the lines, my professional life has not been easy the past six months. In fact, you wouldn't even have to read between the lines but simply read my blog and you would know. Even though I am unable to give details, let me tell you... this is like nothing else I've ever been through. And I'm no stranger to difficult situations (those of you who read this blog between 2006 and 2012 know that we have lived through a LOT of challenges.
This past week Bart and the boys and I joined the residents of Patrick Henry Boys and Girls Homes for their annual beach trip. We were in Outer Banks, NC ... one of the most beautiful spots on earth. We spent a day with all the residents, and then three days and three nights with the girls. I needed it, desperately, to clear my head and to hang out with the kids. Because they are my white hot why.
As "Chief Program Officer" I am several steps away from direct service to our kids, and sometimes I get caught up in personnel issues, spreadsheets, big picture decision making, and all the other things that senior management is thrown into in a given day. The more I feel myself drowning in that, the more I forget why I do it.
This week I came face to face with my "White Hot Why" as I did life with these kids. We laughed a lot. I watched them interact. I watched their house parents deal patiently with them. I observed them play together and work together to get things done like packing vans and keeping rooms clean. I heard snippets of their stories.
Literally on my way back before I even got home, I was smacked in the face with more distracting stuff, but I am not going to let it sway me because I was reminded that I am driven by this "white hot why." God didn't call me hear to deal with spreadsheets, and monthly reports, and employee performance evaluations.. even though that is part of what I do. He called me here to make sure that these beautiful lives were being cared for to the best of our ability.
In my past jobs, the kids and families that we worked with have always been that "why" for me. In our families lives my kids and grandkids have been my "white hot why" for everything we've done.
What about you? What burns inside you, driving you to do and be your best? What is your purpose? In addition to serving Jesus, to the best of our ability, we each need that "why" that drives our lives. If we have it, we can rise above ANYTHING that comes our way.
If you don't have one, I'm going to pray that God reveals to you why you are where you are. I'm asking Him right now to instill in you a "why" that burns so hot and bright inside you that it carries you through whatever each day brings.
Thanks, PHBGH kids for letting me live life with you and for being the white hot why that moves me through each day.
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